I found you
by Diamondchild
Summary: Christian and Ana dated for years in highschool till she left. Now 4 years later they are reconnected. OOC, AU HEA, no cheating. THIS STORY HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN AND PUBLISHED! INSIDE INCULDES THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE PUBLISHED VERSION OF I FOUND YOU NOW LIVE ON AMAZON!


**Do you know what this girl forgot to do... Tease you with the first chapter of I FOUND YOU which is now live on Amazon. under my author name Erica Marselas (I ended up putting in the wrong file.. sorry about that)**

 **You can find Cooper and Violet's Story (ie Christian and Ana's) story here... www dot amazon dot com /dp /B07DK43L68/**

 **Its free with kindle unlimited!**

 **It still has so much of what you love of this story, but sooooo much more. I re wrote this whole story! Top to bottom. Though some of the stuff still happens its better written … I swear...**

 **Uh-huh**

* * *

 **January 3rd 2002**

M _y boyfriend, Cooper, dropped me off a block away from my house wanting to avoid my mother giving him a hard time. She wasn't happy when Cooper and I left two days after Christmas for Los Angeles to spend the rest of our winter break and New Year's together. She tried to forbid me from going, but I was going no matter what she said or did. So, I know I'm about to get an ear full and be grounded until summer._

Whatever.

 _Nothing could bring me down after the week I had with Coop. We spent most of our time locked in a hotel room, naked in bed. When we weren't, we toured the city, which will hopefully soon be our home._

 _Yep, nothing could bring me down from soaring._

 _Well, that's until I flew straight into a large yellow moving truck sitting in my driveway._

 _Two bulky guys in blue overalls carry our couch to the back of the truck. I move behind them and see most of our furniture sitting inside._

 _What the fuck is going on? And what's the possibility we're getting robbed in broad daylight?_

 _I march into the house, but suddenly my feet are frozen to the ground. Every hair on my body stands on edge in fright seeing all the boxes lined up in the living area. There in the middle of all the cardboard squares stands my mother, talking to her boyfriend, Jeremy West._

 _I'm not a fan of this jerk-off._

 _For one, he's not my father, and second, he's a douchebag. The man owns a bunch of sleazy car dealerships in California and Arizona. I have no idea what my mom sees in him, and now looking at my packed house, I realize he has something to do with this sudden move._

 _Wherever the hell they're going, I'm not._

 _"_ _What the hell is going on?" I shout, grabbing their attention._

 _"_ _Oh, good you're home, just in time to help us finish packing up the rest," my mother says with a forced smile._

 _"_ _Pack up what? I'm not going anywhere."_

 _"_ _Oh, yes you are. Jeremy and I got married over New Year's."_

 _I pale and my eyes dart to the new shining diamond on her left hand. She got married and didn't think to fucking tell me? We don't always get along, but I could've sworn my mother loved me enough to want to me to be present for her wedding._

 _"_ _He's opening a new lot in Tucson and we're going with him."_

 _I shake my head and try to keep the tears from falling down my face. I have five months 'till I graduate and she thinks it would be okay to just uproot my life now? I'm not eighteen 'till October, but Goddammit I shouldn't have to obey this._

 _"_ _You don't think you should have talked this over with me? Or gave me an option to stay? I'm almost done with high school and you want me to uproot everything I know because you decided on a whim to marry this asshole?"_

 _Jeremy has the nerve to chuckle before he kisses my mother's cheek, telling her he'll let her handle this. Once he's left the room, throwing a glare my way, my mom takes a few steps closer to me._

 _"_ _I was going to tell you, but you ran off with that boy. You won't listen to reason when it comes to him, so what better chance for you to fix your life, then by starting over, as I start mine."_

 _"_ _I don't want or need to start over, mother. And Cooper isn't ruining my life. It's you and his mother doing that to us. I'm not going. And screw you. You should've told me all this before you got MARRIED!" I scream the last part out, the venom in my voice doing nothing to convince her of what she's done wrong._

 _She crosses her arms over her chest and squints her eyes at me. I stand my ground, pushing my shoulders back, mocking her stance._

 _"_ _This isn't up for debate, Violet. We're moving, and it's happening bright and early tomorrow morning. You're my daughter and you have to do what I say. Your father isn't here, so it leaves you with no other options to stay."_

 _"_ _I'll live on the street then, I don't care," I argue and look away for her._

 _I'm sure Cooper will let me hide somewhere in his room._

 _"_ _I know what you're thinking, and you need to get over it. You think his parents will allow you to live under their roof? They won't. Who's going to pay for your college if you stay here, because it won't be me. Hell, Violet, you haven't even picked one yet. You have no clue what you're going to do come June. As your mother, I have to do right by you and also for me. You can't keep following in his so-called footsteps. You really think his fleeting music career will take care of you with no degree to fall back on?" She tilts her head and thinks she won._

 _Cooper and I made plans to run off to L.A. along with his brother Brody, and work on getting Cooper's music career started. I know he has what it takes and the drive to be successful. I still planned to go to college; we even did a tour of UCLA while we were visiting this week. There's also community college to start if I had too. Whether or not I had it all figured out, my life is my own and I'm going to do what_ I want _to do._

 _Sometimes in life, you have to take a leap of faith._

 _But now my leap is crashing down on me before I've even jumped._

 _"_ _Why can't you let me live my own life, make my own mistakes? Why does it bother you so much that I'm with Cooper? It's been over two years and you still won't give the guy a chance. He loves me, why is it so hard to understand? Here you are marrying some dickwad car salesman, who I'm sure is going to use you for every penny you have."_

 _"_ _He won't do that, but I'm an adult, and you are a child, Violet. End of discussion. I've already had_ your _belongings packed."_

 _"_ _You packed my stuff?" I scream, my fists clenched at my side. "You better not have thrown anything away, or I swear mother."_

 _"_ _Don't worry, I didn't throw any of your precious mementos." She sighs and scrubs her hands down her face. "You'll be eighteen in October. 'Till then, you'll be living in Arizona with me. If you're really meant to be with Cooper Reid, well, I guess he'll be able to wait the next ten months for you, but I wouldn't count on it. Hopefully, you'll see how much better of a life you'll have without him bringing you down."_

 _A piercing, fiery, roar bubbles in my chest and leaves my throat. If only I was a dragon I would've burned her to a crisp with my anger._

 _"_ _You're ruining my life, and I'll never forgive you for this." I run towards the door, needing to escape, needing Cooper._

 _"_ _You'll thank me one day." My mother calls when I make it past the threshold, where a moving man blocks my path._

 _I stop and face her, glaring at her with tears in my eyes. "That's never going to happen," I sneer and bolt around the confused man in overalls to race down the street._

 _Finding a pay phone, I dial Cooper's number. It rings a few times before he picks up._

 _"_ _Hello?"_

 _"_ _Coop," I try to keep my voice from shaking because I don't want him to worry. He doesn't need to add worry on top of the heart I'm about to shatter._

 _"_ _Ace, what's wrong?" There's a slight panic in his voice._

Guess it didn't work.

 _"_ _Meet me at White Park, please," I beg. "I'll explain everything when you get there, but I need to see you."_

 _"_ _I'm on my way," he says quickly. "I love you."_

 _"_ _I love you, too. Please never forget that." I whisper the last part before I hang up._

 _Hues of orange, yellow, and red filter from behind the trees of White Park in Riverside. Cooper has me wrapped tightly in his arms while we admire the array of colors as the sun continues to dip below the horizon._

 _Neither of us says anything as the cool night breeze dances across our faces and the whippoorwills call into the dusk._

 _I pull Cooper's arms tighter around me, snuggling deeper into him, wanting to inhale his scent; a mix of Irish Spring and cinnamon. He presses a kiss into my temple, mindlessly, as if he knows I need his comfort. I smile and my heart warms because he always knows what I need without saying it. Glancing up at him, I try to memorize every inch of his face. From his wild untamed blond waves, which are still wet from his shower, to all the fine hairs of his five-o clock shadow. My smile falters and I'm not sure how I can make it without him._

 _He's the center of my universe and I'm seconds away from telling him news that will destroy our perfect bubble._

 _I've been with Cooper since we met our sophomore year, when he saved me from being attacked by Thomas Ryan._

 _That was the beginning of our love story. Yet, it has been difficult at times due to our parents not wanting us to be together. They believe we aren't good enough for each other, for reasons I'll never understand._

 _Even though Cooper rescued me from being physically attacked, my mother despises him. She thinks he's a violent "thug" with severe anger problems._

 _Cooper has a reputation for being a bad boy, but I don't know how anyone can't see how he has changed since he met me._

 _If it isn't bad enough that my mother hates him, his parents dislike me as well. They think_ I'm _helping him throw away his potential, but it's actually Cooper who wants nothing to do with their visions for him. He has even bigger dreams that they don't recognize as more than pipe dreams, and they're making me out to be the bad guy because I encourage him to reach for the stars._

 _With his dad being a successful lawyer, his mom a doctor, and behind them a long line of powerful and influential family, they've been trying to mold him into some kind of suave businessman or a politician. To them, it's the only way for him to succeed in life._

 _How can they not see it's_ them _standing in his way, making him unhappy, and not me?_

 _Sure, we both like to party, and we've gotten tattoos, and we drink, but we're young and adventurous. Our moral compass isn't broken; other than our first meeting, we've never been in trouble with the law. We both keep our grades up. No, we're not pounding out the A's anymore like our parents expect; now we just get more B's tangled in with those A's. No big deal. Overall, I say we're pretty damn good kids._

 _Even though our parents push back, we've made it. But now, sitting here in Cooper's arms, watching the final rays set behind the trees, my heart breaks…because maybe our love won't be enough to survive me moving hundreds of miles away._

 _It seems my mother is finally getting what she has always wanted by ripping us apart._

 _My father, the only person who is willing to listen, accepts and supports our relationship, and could help us, is gone. He got stationed overseas in Afghanistan and will be for another six months._

 _With no money and no place to stay, I know I have no other option than to go._

 _"_ _My mom is making me move with her to Arizona. We're leaving in the morning. I don't have a choice," I blurt out, ripping it off like a band-aid._

 _His whole body freezes as tension ripples through him. "In the morning? How? I mean, don't you need to pack?" Hurt, shock, and anguish cloud his blue eyes. It's as if the glass house that surrounded our relationship has been hit with the final stone and it's shattering around us._

 _"_ _It seems she had someone do it for us while we were away this week. I came home to a packed house and moving truck." I frown remembering the argument with my mother that had ended with me running off and calling Cooper to meet me here._

 _"_ _You can't leave." He holds me tighter and his voice cracks. "Maybe we could get married..." He ponders the same thing I've been thinking since I saw the large yellow truck outside my house._

 _Though there's nothing more I want in this world, we can't. No way in hell our parents would allow it. Well, my dad would, but sadly my country needed him more than me, so we're in screwed-ville._

 _"_ _We can't get married before we're eighteen without our parents' permission, and I don't think that's going to happen."_

 _"_ _I'll kidnap you," he says seriously, and I can't help but laugh. I have no doubt that he would, but living on the streets in the cold isn't ideal for either of us._

 _"_ _I really wish we could," I muse._

 _We sit in silence a little while longer. The sun has disappeared, and the sky has gone black. The stars twinkle above us, and I close my eyes, wishing upon all of them I won't have to leave; my home is here in this man's arms._

 _My hand glides across my flat stomach, remembering the loss of our baby last year. It still makes my heart ache and my stomach twist when I think about our little angel. Cooper is the only one I can talk to when I'm feeling down about it. The only hug that puts me at ease, and the only one that understands the pain it brings. He's my heart and soul, and now I have to move a hundred miles away from him. I don't know how_ I'm _going to make it, how_ we're _going to make it, without each other._ _We've only ever had each other in our worst of times._

 _I'm doing everything not to cry, but the ache is too much and I fail miserably, letting the tears fall from my eyes like rain. Cooper grabs my face and brushes them away with his thumbs. His lips gently kiss my nose and cheeks, but the flood keeps coming._

 _All I want to do in bury myself in him and never leave. Why do our mothers have to hate our relationship? Why can't they see what we see.? That the two of us are nothing without each other?_

 _"_ _Ace, baby, stop."_

 _I shake my head and nuzzle myself into his chest. What seems like a lifetime later, my shuddering sobs cease, but stray tears still fall. When I lift my face to gaze at the man I love, his face is also wet and stained from tears. I wipe them away, and kiss him the way he did me. I've only seen him cry once before, after losing the baby, and now he's losing me. Seeing him so affected, gives me hope we can make it through._

 _"_ _I need you to promise something," he whispers, looking me dead in the eye, his hand tangled in my hair around my neck._

 _"_ _Anything."_

 _"_ _Promise me you'll write me every day, call me every day, and when you turn eighteen come back to me."_

 _"_ _I promise. I love you, Cooper."_

 _"_ _I love you too, Violet. I always will. You're my girl. My only girl, and one day I swear I'm going to marry you." His wet lips kiss the side of my neck, as he pulls my body closer to his._

 _My heart leaps and the tears fall again at his words. All I want is to always be his._

 _"_ _And I promise to say yes."_

 ** _May 15th, 2006_**

 _Violet_

 _"_ _I've never stopped loving you._

 _You're the only love I've ever known_

 _You're my soul, my air, my everything…_

 _And I need you back to live again."_

A guitar riff for the chorus plays through my headphones before it's met again with a rich baritone voice that melts my panties. I'm listening to my favorite song "My Everything", on repeat. It always makes me feel better, and worse, at the same time. I don't know why I torture myself with listening to this man's sweet voice. His lyrics send something straight to my soul and it's like he's singing to me—only to me.

 _"_ _You went away, but in my heart, you're always here._

 _I close my eyes hoping you'll come back to me_

 _Because I can never stop loving you with everything I have"_

I miss _him._

My feet tap on the bed as the sexy, soothing voice continues to pipe into my ears. I'm starting to realize my life is not what I expected it to be at this point. I snort, knowing this is nothing like I had planned when I was seventeen. I graduated from Tucson University four days ago, earning my degree in business management. I've been searching for months for a job leading up to graduation, without much success. It's disappointing because I thought it would be easy.

On top of being jobless, I'm now boyfriend-less. Last night I broke up with my boyfriend of six months, Darren. I don't know why I ever put up with his arrogant ass. I caught him sleeping with someone else. I mean _fine_ , I know I wasn't putting out very much—because frankly, he sucked at it—but he could've broken up with me before he slept with someone else. It wouldn't have been such a total loss.

 _"_ _Say you still love me. That you'll always be mine._

 _Because I miss the way you taste and the way your eyes used to shine._

 _My everlasting love, my number one, my everything."_

 _I was once his Ace._

Damn this song. Damn the emotions it gives me. Damn it all.

I throw the headphones out of my ears and they fall to the mattress. Softly, I hear the lyrics start again, and turn off my mp3 player. I need to stop torturing my poor soul.

I need to move on—past him.

My door crashes open and my roommates, Julie and Alexa, stumble into my room, giggling like loons. They have been my best friends and roommates for the last three years. The two crazies are already drunk. Julie flops onto my bed, beside me, making the both of us bounce.

"About time you dumped his ass," she exclaims.

"Yeah, I caught him in bed with Teagan." I shrug, not caring. Life is full of heartbreaks, this isn't one of them.

"Are you okay?" Alexa sits next to me and squeezes my hand. Her green doe eyes look at me sympathetically.

"Yeah. I have no idea why I put up with him as long as I did. It's done and dusted and I can now move on to the next dope," I chuckle softly.

"That's the spirit!"

"Whatcha listenin too?" Julie grabs my MP3 player from my lap and starts scrolling through it.

"Your future _husband_ ," I tease.

"You bet he is." Julie swoons and falls back flat on the bed. Her brown hair fans out everywhere, placing the player over her heart, lost in a daydream. I swear I see stars in her eyes.

The girl is nuts.

A pillow goes flying in front of me and hits Julie square in the face, waking her from her fantasy.

"Hey, me and my husband were about to jet ski off into the sunset." Julie sits up, crossing her arms over her chest in a playful huff.

"Anyways…we have an idea." Alexa rolls her eyes, ignoring the nut beside me. "The three of us. Vegas! My dad has some free room vouchers, and asked if I would like to use them."

"Wait, your dad _wants_ you to go to Vegas? Sin City?" I ask raising my eyebrows.

My dad would never _want_ me to go to Vegas. He would think I'd end up gambling all my money away. Or think the bright lights of Vegas would turn me into a stripper.

Or I'd get married to some stranger on a whim.

"Okay, not really, but when I told him I wanted to go for an after-graduation celebration with my two best girls, he offered to pay." Alexa shrugs. "He knows if I'm with you Vi, I won't get into any trouble." She smirks, and I smack her leg.

I have no clue how I got the goodie-two-shoes badge. There was a time some parents thought I was the cause of trouble.

"Well, gee thanks…I think."

"Come on, we worked so hard these last four years. We studied our asses off, missed some great parties, and you graduated magna cum laude. I think we deserve it, don't you?"

"Yeah, it could be fun…" I say, getting excited about the idea. Sun, swimming, liquor, gambling, and sleazy nightclubs. What else could be better than dancing in sin?

"WOO VEGAS!" Julie screams, doing a seated jig.

"Maybe we can find you Mister Right, Vi…" Alexa interjects, shoving my shoulder.

"ME?" I screech. "What about you two? You're having the same luck in the love department as I am."

Hell no, I'm not hooking up with anyone in Vegas. The only thing I want my lips on is the glass holding my _Jose Cuervo._

"Maybe we'll all get lucky. Now come on, I already broke open the wine and Tess and Uma will be here soon." Alexa yanks my hand, pulling me off the bed.

Who knows, maybe Vegas is what I need to get out of this small slump I'm in. Have some fun, then face the real world head-on.

 ** _Vegas Baby_**

 ** _May 19th, 2006_**

I

haven't found the sin yet, but I have found the fun. The lights, the excitement, and all the noise and chatter of the city have really been good for my soul. The three of us arrived in Vegas early this morning and hit The Strip first thing. We did the zip line, were drunk by noon, and now we are at The Bellagio's bar, drinking and dancing.

I'm wearing a royal blue, mini-dress with spaghetti straps, and a low V-neck showing off the perfect amount of cleavage. Alexa insisted I needed this dress when we spotted it this afternoon. Her words had been, "you're not going to attract _anything_ looking like a nun." I personally saw nothing wrong with my long-sleeve, high neckline, black dress, but I do feel incredibly sexy now.

I've been feeling eyes on me all night, and men have been all over us as we dance. So far, no one has made an impression on me.

"Guys," I yell over the pumping music, fanning myself, "I need another drink."

"Me too," Alexa yells back, and we grab Julie to head back to our table.

We all order waters and a round of tequila shots. I dance in my seat as "Don't Cha" by the Pussycat Dolls plays, ready to get back on the floor.

There's a sudden burst of commotion; surprised hollers and 'oh my gods' fill the bar. The three of us look around wondering what's going on. There's a mob of people flowing to the VIP area, but all I see are black suits, protecting whoever is between them.

"Wonder who the VIP is?" Julie muses, as our waitress returns with our drinks.

My skin prickles with familiarity. The air shifts as well, making it hard to breathe. There's a magnetic pull, drawing me to the person who just broke away from his guards to stand at the bar. My heart hammers in my chest, not believing what I'm seeing. I rub my eyes twice to make sure he's not an illusion.

It's him. It's really him.

"Oh, my god," I whisper, my mind still in a state of disbelief. My whole body is trembling, I'm lightheaded by all the possibilities that could take place. This might be my only chance to talk to him again.

No matter what, I have to do this.

"Violet, you going to take your shot?" Julie asks, grabbing my shoulder.

"I'll be right back," I say, not turning my attention to her. I hear her asking me what's up, but I ignore her, letting my heart lead the way to the opposite end of the bar.

With each step, my heart thumps erratically. I swear it's about to burst out of my chest. My hands are clammy and I'm worried he might disappear like a wisp of smoke.

 _Four years._

Four years since I've seen his chiseled face, and the single dimple in his right cheek. Four years since I've heard his husky laugh, or seen his blue eyes that shined into my soul and lit up my life. I've missed the way he made me feel complete.

He's even more handsome since the last time I saw him, and even if I didn't recognize his face, I would have recognized his firm ass in those dress slacks.

I get to the velvet ropes of the VIP lounge when one of the guys in a black suit stops me.

"Ma'am I can't let you over here," he tells me firmly and stands a tad taller.

"I just wanted to say hi—"

"I'm sure you did. That's what they all say. Now please." He points me to the other side of the bar, gesturing for me to get lost.

I shake my head at how quickly I've forgotten he's a big, famous singer now; untouchable, surrounded by bodyguards and groupies. I sigh. It's all he's ever wanted to be. His dream came true while I faded away.

I need answers though. I need to know why he let me fade when he continued to shine brightly in my life.

"I know you get all kinds of people trying to talk to him, but we went to high school together." I start to explain my heartbreaking tale to the uptight guy who I'm sure could use a drink—or eight. The man crosses his arms and looks away from me.

"I can't blame you for not believing me, but could you just tell him Violet Spencer wants to say hi. I beg you. And if he tells me to get lost, I promise I won't bother you anymore."

 _He was my one true love._

"Violet Spencer," he murmurs in awe. I don't quite understand his reaction as he moves in to look at me more closely. Like really close, where I can taste the mint on his breath. He nods his head, and without saying another word he walks over to the bar, grabbing Cooper's attention before whispering in his ear.

His head snaps in my direction, and our eyes lock as realization dawns all over his handsome features. He knocks over the barstool when he jumps to his feet, and strides over to me like a man on a mission. Before I can even process that after all this time he's standing in front of me, his lips smash into mine.

 _Holy crap._

My mouth parts to let his tongue in and explore. My heart soars and my body heats up, tingles shooting through my skin. He moans, pressing himself into me, encouraging me to kiss him harder, and I tangle my hand in his hair.

He tastes and feels just like I remember. All the love we had before lingers in this heated, passionate kiss—it's as if no time has passed at all.

Maybe the last four years had been a bad dream and when we break apart we'll still be on that picnic bench where we last saw each other.

He pulls away, resting his forehead on mine, and his dark blue eyes bore into my own, recapturing my soul again. "My Violet," he whispers against my lips.

"Cooper," I pant. He still takes my breath away after all these years.

"God, you're more beautiful than the day you left." He rubs my cheek with his thumb. "I lie, you're fucking sexy. This dress…fuck." His eyes roam over my body. My skin heats at his traveling eyes and now I'm really glad Alexa made me buy this dress.

"You're not so bad yourself. And I've been hearing good things about you." I grab the lapels on his jacket wanting to keep my hands on him.

"I've missed you…" he breathes, his eyes still exploring mine, I'm sure verifying that I'm real. "Why don't me and you go to my room so we can talk without all these people listening?"

 _All these people._

The words bring me back to reality. My eyes dart around the crowded bar, suddenly feeling a million eyes on us.

"I think we have a lot to catch up on, Ace."

My heart skips a beat and I'm trying not to surrender to the tears caused by the elation I'm feeling when he calls me by my old nickname. There's nothing I want more in this world than to be his number one girl again.

"I would like that," I croak out causing him to smirk.

I look back to the table where I left my friends. Friends who are now gawking at me and I'm sure have a million questions after witnessing the show of a lifetime. I'm never going to hear the end of it from them.

 _Vi, you got a lot of explaining to do._

I turn back to him, my heart expanding again at the sight of his sly grin. "I just need to tell my friends."

"Hurry…" he urges, brushing his hand across my cheek. "I don't want to waste any more time."

Words escape me and I nod. He places a kiss on my cheek before I walk back to my table in a daze.

I glance back at him, needing to make sure it hasn't been a dream. He's talking to his security guy and pointing to me. We smile at each other and he blows me a kiss with a wink. I giggle thinking the Rockstar moves have gotten to his head.

When I arrive back at my table, Alexa and Julie stare at me wide-eyed, with their jaws on the floor.

"Oh my God! What the hell just happened there? Why was Cooper Reid's tongue down your throat?" Alexa shrieks. People around us spin their heads to look at us.

 _I wonder if this will be in every tabloid tomorrow._

I blush. "We used to date in high school, for a couple of years before I had to leave for Arizona."

"And you didn't think to share this information with us? The hottest singer in the whole world was your boyfriend?" she narrows her eyes at me, but her voice is still screeching. I'm having a hard time telling if she's mad or still in shock.

I'm still in shock. The guy I loved was ripped away from me and I _never_ thought I would get the chance to see him again.

"I know, I'm a terrible friend for not telling you about me and Cooper, but it was always so hard to think about how I lost the guy I thought I would be with forever," I tell them sadly. "Seeing him in magazines and hearing him on the radio didn't help because I still loved him. We never broke up, just kind of lost touch."

Not a complete lie. Once the letters and phone calls stopped, I moved on.

That's a lie too, I never really moved on.

"When you walked over there, the last thing I expected was that. I thought you were being nosey. Damn."

"I'm sorry. Don't be mad, please."

Alexa gasps at me and shakes her head, pulling me into a hug. "Of course, I'm not mad. You just have to explain it all to me later."

"I will, I promise." I look back towards the VIP area, and Cooper is talking to one of the other bodyguards. "I just need to know what happened first, myself," I mumble.

Turning my attention back to Julie, she hasn't picked her jaw off the floor since I returned. I decide to close it for her. "You okay?"

"You…you…and him…you lucky bitch!" Julie always had the biggest crush on Cooper Reid. It sometimes got to the point I would wonder if Julie loved him more than I did.

 _Nah. Nobody could…_

And the kiss we just shared proves he might share the same feelings for me.

A love that can never be forgotten.

"I didn't say anything because I didn't want to break your heart." I stick my tongue out at her, playfully.

"Holy fuck," Julie whispers her jaw popping open again.

The hairs stick up on the back of my neck and there stands the only person who can cause that type of electricity in my body: Cooper Reid. His brother always used to say we were magnets; always stuck together at the hip and attached at the lips. I only wish the magnetic energy crossed state lines.

His muscular arm drapes around my waist, pulling me tightly to his side. The scent of cinnamon and rum tickle my nose and warms my belly. He smells fantastic, and I wish I could bottle it up to keep it with me always.

"You ready?" His voice is low and husky, and his stormy, lustful eyes dampen my panties.

"Um yeah…Cooper these are my friends Alexa and Julie."

"It's nice to meet you both." He shakes both of their hands.

Julie giggles like a schoolgirl and stares at her hand then back at him. I'm sure her everlasting fantasy of meeting her crush isn't going the way she planned, but she's handling it pretty well. I was almost convinced I'd have to fight her for him.

"Would you guys mind if I went with Cooper? We kind of need to catch up…"

"I promise to have her back down in a little while. If you want, you guys are more than welcome to go over to the VIP section. Drinks are on me…" Cooper offers.

"Really?" Julie and Alexa chirp. Their eyes light up at the offer of free drinks.

"Yep. I already told them you might be coming over. Help yourself." He gives them both his winning, dimpled smile then looks down at me. "Come Ace," he tells me in _that_ voice, the one that tells me I'm seconds away from being naked.

 _Yes, please._

Alexa and Julie hug me, double checking I'm going to be okay before running off to the bar. Free drinks make everything better, including to help them forget their best friend hid a famous boyfriend from them.

Cooper guides me to the elevator banks with his bodyguards in toe. They join us in the metal box and one of the big guys pushes the button for the 23rd floor. Cooper pulls me towards the back corner, his fingers caressing my ass from under my dress. Shivers skate down my back as he moves dangerously close to my heated core.

I peek over at the backs of the bodyguards, and my cheeks heat, knowing we have company, even though the guards appear stoic and uncaring.

"Is this what it's like for you now? Always have people following you around? No privacy?" My arm crosses over his to grab a handful of his firm ass in return.

"Yeah, but it's for my safety. Some of the fans get crazy." His fingers travel under the small sliver of my thong.

I bite down on my lip, suppressing my moan, as his fingers run across my wet slit. It's been so long since I've been touched like this. The last months with my ex were sexless, but even so, the only person who stood a chance against Cooper Reid's magic touch was Cooper Reid.

"You always did have a problem with girls throwing themselves all over you. I'm glad you have protection now."

In high school, the girls were always all over him, especially after a show. It used to drive me crazy, but he always made sure I was his number one girl. He always made me feel like a queen.

"You were and still are the only girl I would want all over me." He winks at me, removing his hand from my panties as the elevator doors open to the twenty-third floor. I don't want it to end, but then again, we are going to his room.

"Let me guess, you got the penthouse-presidential-high-roller suite." I giggle as he takes my hand to two large, white, double doors.

"It's all part of the life, baby." Cooper turns to one of his guards as he swipes the room key. "Collin, we should be good."

The bodyguard nods and we enter the oversized hotel room.

The door closes behind us and in a blink, Cooper has me engulfed in his arms, latching his lips to mine, in a desperate, fiery kiss. My hand grips the back of his neck as he pulls me closer as if making us one. I've missed his deep hungry kisses, the way his touch gives me goosebumps, and the feeling of his dick pushed into my belly. It feels so freakin' good to be in his arms and I don't know how I survived this long without him. But I know there's no going back now.

A loud moan escapes from my throat as he grabs my ass from underneath my dress. I wiggle against his stabbing erection, trying to convey how much I want him without words, refusing to separate my mouth from this never-ending kiss. I'm dizzy from this high and I stumble back hitting a wall causing our lips to separate, and we are left panting.

"I can't believe you're here." His hand runs down my cheek and his thumb traces over my swollen lips.

"I can't believe it either," I say breathlessly, my head still spinning. "I keep wanting to pinch myself."

"Four years…It has to be some miracle that you're standing in front of me. I can't tell you how much I've missed you." His words are like a bucket of cold water being poured on me, reminding me why we're up here in the first place. I push him away before he can kiss me again. He looks at me confused and tries to take me in his arms again, but I step back shaking my head. It's as if his initial kiss and his touch wiped my memory clean of the past heartache that he caused me when he stopped responding to my letters and calls. I need answers to why he ghosted me.

"If you missed me so much, why did you stop writing me?"

He sighs heavily and rakes his hands through his dirty-blond waves. When he looks back at me I can see the shattered look in his eyes, but I don't understand since he's the one who left me hanging.

"At the end of Senior year, I got a letter from your mom with a bunch of pictures of you with some guy. Your mom said you moved on and wanted me to stop writing."

"What? I didn't date anyone my senior year. The only people I hung out with were Alexa and…Mark." It all clicks now. Mark became a good friend, and I ended up going to prom with him, so we didn't have to go alone.

"So, the fucker has a name." Jealousy swarms in his eyes and I smack him lightly in the chest. Nothing has changed about him in the past years, that's for sure. He always was jealous before he even knew what was going on. Though, I know if it was the other way around, I would have been upset too.

"Mark is gay, just so you know. I can't believe this. So, you just gave up and ignored me? After everything? I wrote you for almost a year after, hoping you would answer."

"I did write you and I tried calling you a bunch of times, but your mom would answer or I'd get a voicemail. As for your letters, I didn't get them." My face falls at the memory of my mom taking my phone away from me because she couldn't afford the bill anymore. And now I guess it's easy to say my mother also hid his letters from me. "It killed me that I didn't hear it from you, but yeah, I thought you gave up on me."

"I would've never given up on you. I thought you knew that."

"A part of me did. That's why I went to see you in Arizona before graduation. I came to your house with flowers in hopes of seeing you. Your mom answered and told me you were out on a date. In love. I waited for you to come back, and when you did, you were laughing with the guy in the pictures." He shakes his head with a frown and my heart rips in half. We had a chance and I missed it because my mom wanted— _what_? I'll never understand what she got out of us being apart.

"I knew I had to let you go; thinking, if you were happy that was all that mattered. It hurt like crazy and I hate myself for not kidnapping you, but it would've killed me more if you told me you didn't want me anymore. Even though it was a dagger to my heart, I had always held on to hope maybe it wasn't true, and you would come back to me, wanting me again. I even tried to hate you, but after the first week, I gave up. I couldn't. I didn't want to."

"I always wanted you." My voice cracks and his hand moves to my face wiping away the stray tear. "And I never loved anyone else but you." My eyes close, thinking back to how many times I thought of and dreamed about him. Though it ate me up inside every time he crossed my mind, I held out hope we could be together and in love again.

When I see my mother again, she's going to have a lot to explain, but only if I don't end up strangling her first. I can't get over the fact she caused my heart to break more with each passing day, knowing why it broke, and hadn't done anything to help repair it.

"I can't believe my mother knows no bounds."

He pulls me into a hug and kisses my forehead. We can't fix the past, but damn it, we missed out on all those years, and now we carry around so many what-ifs.

We stay silent, holding each other, before I finally break away. "I get it now. It all seems so clear." I reach up to touch his face, running my fingers against his stubble. "So, what did you do after graduation?"

He moves to the bar to grab the bottle of Jack, and pours us both a drink. "Once I graduated, I got a gig in Los Angeles, and then next thing I knew, I had a record deal."

My lips lift into a proud smile. We might have missed out on time, but his dream had come true. No matter what, it's what I wanted for him. He worked hard and he earned it.

"How did your parents take that? You were supposed to go to Princeton," I say mockingly in his dad's voice.

"Yeah, we both knew that wasn't ever happening." He snorts, handing me a drink and I chug it back quickly. The burn from the Jack instantly heats me up and relaxes me.

"What do they think of your big success?" I ask as he pours me another drink.

"Oh, they say they couldn't be prouder now." His eyebrows rise and he looks to the ceiling, not amused.

We both take another shot before he takes my hand and leads me over to the couch, where we sit down with our knees touching. Suddenly I feel shy around him, as if we're on a first date.

I don't know why I'm getting shy now; our first date in high school ended with us fucking under the school bleachers.

"What have you been up to?"

"I finished school. Graduated with highest honors in business management, but I still can't find a job. We can't all be superstars." I nudge him playfully.

"That's amazing, Ace. Though, I have to say, I'm surprised you picked business management for your major. What happened to studying advertisement?"

"I got a minor in advertising, but I always had an interest in management. So, I took a couple classes and fell in love with it. Also, if I remember correctly, I was supposed to be your tour manager or PA, or whatever. Maybe I had a lingering idea that a job could lead me to you." I shrug. It's not a complete lie.

Cooper's pearly white smile nearly blinds me. I'm sure he pays someone to make them so perfect.

"And what brought you to Vegas?" he pushes.

"Alexa thought we needed to live it up before we start having grown up responsibilities. But really it's because we're all recently single and she wanted us to meet Mr. Right…" I trail off, biting my lip, knowing I've said too much. I'm hoping he didn't catch my slip, but when I see the grey clouds rolling into his blue eyes, I know he didn't miss a word.

We might not have been together, but I know it's going to bother him that I was with someone else. Just Mark's name set him off.

"So, you've been dating…" he mutters, taking a swig of his drink.

"Cooper…you can't be upset. I know you've probably had your fair share of women. Plus, I haven't heard from you in, what, three years and haven't seen you in four?"

"I know…" He sighs regretfully. "I've never gotten over you. I tried to move on…but I couldn't. I was still in love with you. _I'm still_ in love with you." His body shifts closer to mine and he moves the fallen hair out of my face.

"I feel the same," I admit. "I tried relationships, but nobody even came close to holding a candle to you."

Cooper's hands lace through my hair, pulling my face to his, and he kisses me lightly. "I want to show you just how much I missed you," he whispers against my lips, his eyes dancing lustfully with mine.

"Yes, please."

He lifts me off the couch, and our lips connect hungrily, as he pushes me backward to the bedroom. There's a loud thud when Cooper's hand connects with the bedroom door, opening it, and it slams against the wall.

"I'm going to ravish the fuck out of you, Vi," he murmurs only millimeters from my lips. I can't reply because he's quickly sucking me back into his lascivious vortex.

The back of my legs hit the soft mattress, and his mouth descends to the side of my neck. A deep, primal moan leaves both of our throats; a sound all too familiar, that only we could make together. A sound I didn't realize I'd missed 'till I heard it again.

His hands run down my chest grabbing a handful of my breasts, massaging them in his palms. My nipples strain against the fabric of my dress and his thumbs rub over the hardened peaks. "Cooper," I gasp, wishing his mouth would wrap around them to ease their ache. Darkened blue eyes stare at me, showing his desire for me, and a knowing smirk plays on his lips. It's a look I remember well, telling me he has me right where he wants me, which only dampens my panties more. My legs press together, needing the friction against my throbbing core.

"I've missed you so much," he breathes before his lips crash back into mine.

Calloused fingers run down my shoulders, pushing the straps of my dress down, and his honey lips make their descent down to my now fully exposed breasts. Cooper wastes no time latching his mouth around my nipples relieving my yearning—something I had been silently begging for. He nips and sucks as his hands push the rest of the dress down my body and it pools around my feet. I step out of it, now standing before him in a tiny blue thong.

Cooper detaches himself from my breast and steps back. His eyes trace over every inch of me, each of his blinks is like he's trying to take permanent pictures to frame in his mind.

"Fuck. You always did have the perfect body. That hasn't changed one bit. If anything, you look even hotter," he hisses through his teeth and falls to his knees in front of me. His nose face plants into my core, rubbing against my lace thong, as he inhales deeply. "Heaven." Looking up at me, he's grinning wickedly, while his thumb traces my left hip bone. His soft lips place a kiss over my tattoo, which reads _Cooper_ , in perfect calligraphy,

"I'm glad to see you still have it," he growls and grabs the strings of my thong, pushing them down my legs, and helping me step out of them.

"Of course I do."

"I bet all the other boys hated this." He smiles smugly, his eyes gleaming, looking as if he just won the lottery.

 _Oh, they did._

"What about you? I've seen pictures of you…topless and in your underwear and I didn't see it." If he got rid of his, I think my heart will break a little bit more. It was one of our forever connections to each other.

Standing, he undoes his belt and takes off his pants. The white cotton briefs make his package look amazing and I can't wait to wrap my lips around his dick. I almost forget about the tattoo, until he lowers the hem of his boxers exposing his left hip bone; and there it is, written in the same calligraphy: _Violet._

"They airbrush it off. No matter how many times I tell them not too."

My fingers trace over the black ink, and it seems like only yesterday when we got them. It was Cooper's seventeenth birthday and he had talked about getting a tattoo of my name for months. He tried to convince me to get one as well. We each had fake ID's which we'd made to get into clubs and all kinds of other trouble.

I thought it was a crazy idea to ink each other's names into our skin, thinking it would be a curse to a break-up. Though once the guy finished the 't' in my name I was sold on getting one myself. Funny how we did end up separating, but at the same time knowing we could never forget each other even if we ended up thousands of miles apart.

"I think it's only fair if you undress for me. I want to admire you too."

"Whatever you want, baby," He slips off his shirt and tosses it to the ground and then pulls down his boxers. His dick springs free, already at attention, waiting, wanting me.

 _Yep, he's still as big as I remember._

My mouth waters, wondering how good he would taste in my mouth again. I reach out, fisting his cock in my hands, pumping it, noting how velvety it feels against my palm. He groans and his hand moves to the back of my neck, urging me down.

 _Who am I to say no?_

I fall to my knees and lick the trace of precum dripping from his tip. I hum my appreciation of his salty seed before taking him in my mouth and letting him slide down my throat.

"Fuck, Ace. I've missed your mouth..." My head bobs, taking him down as far as I can, tears escaping my eyes from the gag. I suck and slurp like crazy enjoying and savoring the hard, veiny, length of his cock. My hand falls between my legs, rubbing my achy nub.

"Oh, no, baby," he moans. Grabbing my hair, he tugs me off his cock. I whimper, missing my delicious lollipop. Hauling me up to my feet, I can feel his grin against my neck, while his fingers brush against my sensitive clit. "This is mine and I'm going to make you come so fucking hard tonight."

One of his digits slips inside of me, then another, working me over. I cling to him, my nails digging into his back, relishing in the feeling of our bare skin meshed together. "I want you," I plead.

His fingers fall from my drenched core and he sticks them in his mouth. His eyes close as he slurps my arousal from his fingers. "Mmm...strawberries. Just as I remember."

I feel my entire body flush at his words. He used to claim it was my hair color which made me into some kind of strawberry flavored goddess. I've tasted myself on his mouth and skin hundreds of times, though I think I taste good, I wouldn't call it strawberries. Then again, who am I to complain about the compliment?

Cooper lifts me and gently lays me on the bed. He crawls to hover over me, and his fingers run down my face. "I'm going to enjoy every inch of you. I have years of making up to do."

Wet, hot lips attach to the side of my neck, working their way down my neck over collar bones to my chest, taking his time sucking and nipping at every inch of my skin. My body withers underneath him, a fire igniting in my core I thought had burned out long ago. I've missed this man's mouth so much.

Slowly and teasingly, he works his way down to his goal between my legs. His tongue flicks my clit and his fingers go back to working their magic power over my core like moments ago. Threading his hair through my fingers, I push his face further into me, wanting to smother him between my thighs. "You taste so fucking sweet." His voice is muffled and his fingers pump inside me faster, "and you're still fucking tight."

With a hard suck on my nub, I explode, "Coop, yesss!" I scream, my body convulsing.

"That's my girl," he murmurs, removing his fingers from me. My arms reach out for him, needing, wanting him fully inside of me, expanding and stretching me out.

"Cooper...I want…"

"What do you want, baby?" Warm kisses move their way back up my body, 'till he's finally hovering over me, his dick poking me right where it needs to be, teasing me. I thrust my hips urging him in without any questions.

"I want to hear the words, Ace. Tell me," He takes his dick in his hand to stop it from touching my needy, wet core, giving me a wicked dimpled grin.

 _How I've missed this smartass bastard._

"You inside of me. I want to feel you again," I beg and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him down. I don't care about foreplay right now. I want him. All of him.

 _Now. Now. Now._

"Shit!" he mutters, trying to pull back out of my hold, but I don't let him.

"What?" I whimper, wondering why he's stalling.

 _Get in me, Coop_. _Freakin' fill me._

"I don't have any condoms."

 _Oh._

"I'm still on the pill Cooper…I'm clean, I swear…I've never gone bare with anyone else."

Cooper's forehead wrinkles as he cringes at the thought. _Okay_ , maybe not the best thing to mention when we're in the middle of having sex, but he needs to get a clue—at this point, he could knock me up, and I wouldn't care, as long as he starts pumping that cock of his inside me—now.

He shakes off the uncomfortable thought and kisses my cheek. "I haven't either, but I've been checked. You sure?"

"Yes, please. I _need_ you. I can't wait any longer." I thrust my hips into him again, showing him how desperately I want this.

Blowing out a sigh of relief, he smiles widely at me. "I know the feeling, baby. This is going to be fucking amazing."

With his elbows on each side of my shoulders, I wrap my legs around him, urging him with my heels, as he slowly slides himself into me. A loud vibrating moan escapes my throat when he completely fills me. When his balls hit my ass, he stills. My eyes flash open, and he's staring down at me earnestly.

"This is where I belong," he groans. "This is my home."

"This is my home too, but I beg you, move…please."

"As you wish…" His thrusts are painstakingly slow and I can feel every ripple of his cock as it moves in and out of me. I know right now he's trying to drive me wild, wanting me to beg for more. There's no way this man has forgotten I like to be pounded and made sore for tomorrow.

"Faster…enjoy me later. Fuck me now!" I demand frustrated. He shakes his head, his blonde waves dancing around, messing with me. My fingers grip in his hair, yanking it hard, feeling a couple strands breaking off in my hand. "Give me what I want, Reid. Take me."

A pleased smile spreads across his face. "That's my girl. Always knowing what she wants." Planting a kiss on my nose, he pulls out, and I feel his tip at my entrance. "Hold on baby, I've got you."

He slams into me violently, filling me to the hilt. My head hits the soft backboard and my hand releases its hold from his hair from the aggressive hit. "Yes, yes…" I scream, begging for more and harder. I need more.

He repeats the rhythm, but each time his thrusts become stronger and more frantic. My heels dig into his back trying to hold on to him. The bed creaks below us, the scent and the sound of our rough love making fills the room.

My nails run down his back; I'm sure leaving a permanent trail of red marks as I fall over the brink and call out his name in the most powerful orgasm I've had in years. My whole body shakes, making me weak and tired, but I want more.

"Now that's the best sight ever," he tells me through his panting. "I love that I can still do that for you."

"The only one!"

 _And it's the truth._

"Fuck, baby." His lips latch onto mine in a scorching kiss. The aftershocks of my orgasm, meeting his long punishing strokes are about to send off another earthquake.

"That's it, baby, let it go. Come with me."

"I—I can't—" My pussy grips his cock, sucking him in and holding him in place. He's barely moving inside me. It's enough though, all I need…

"Yes, you can Ace, you're right there again. Scream for me, baby." Cooper breaks through the tightened walls and sends me off again.

"Fuck, yes!" he hisses and spills himself into me, chanting my name like a sweet prayer.

He falls and rolls to his side, taking me with him in his strong arms.

We don't say anything as we listen to the sounds of our breathing; both of our chests rise and fall as our heartbeats calm from the amazing high. Our souls have connected again. He's here, I'm here, in this bed together, where I finally feel whole again. His hand brushes down my cheek, pushing my hair back.

"I love you. I could never stop loving you. I'm not letting you go again, Violet."

"I don't want you to let me go either. I love you." I roll my body on top of his and kiss him with everything I have. He grabs a handful of my ass and pushes me into his already growing erection. I guess someone else missed me too and is eager for more.

"Again?" I bat my eyes adoringly.

"Do you really have to ask?"

"We should get back down to the bar. I'm sure your friends are wondering where you are." He rubs his hand up and down my naked shoulder, both of us content—well for now. The musky smell of our lovemaking lingers in the air.

"I bet they don't even know that I'm gone with all the free drinks I'm sure they're drowning in."

Alexa and Julie are probably having the time of their lives right now, and I'm grateful; the last thing I planned on was leaving them to hook up with my high school boyfriend.

Cooper chuckles and places a kiss on the top of my head. "You might be right, but we're in Vegas. We should be partying it up."

"I thought that's what we were doing?" I bite my lip and wiggle against him. I'm perfectly fine partying in this bed, naked, 'till I can't walk again.

"Oh, it is. But if Brody finds out that you're here and he doesn't get to see you, he might kill me."

"Brody's here?" I shoot up and clap my hands. I missed that bum.

Brody is Cooper's older brother who was also like a brother to me. We always had Brody's support when we were dating. He never understood why his parents disliked me, and covered for us all the time when we went out or would run away for the weekend.

"Yeah, he's my manager."

"Good. Then I don't have to worry about you not being in good hands and some crook trying screw you over," I tease and leave small kisses on his neck.

"I don't know…sometimes I wonder," he jokes back, and I smack him playfully. Brody would be the last person to fuck him over. "Come on, get dressed. I promise to bring you back here tonight and the next and so on and so on. You know I'm not letting you go now that I have you back." His hand tangles in my hair, his eyes telling me how serious he is.

"Cooper…" I start and trail off, glancing down at the mussed up sheets on the bed.

I don't want to let him go either but I don't know how that's going to work. I live in Arizona and he's in L.A. On top of everything else, he's always traveling.

"Come on," he lifts my chin to look at him, "we can talk later and figure it out. I know you don't want this to end. This is forever now."

I run my finger along his tattoo of my name. "Forever," I whisper, making my lasting commitment to him.

"Forever," he whispers back, kissing me softly on the lips, sealing our devotion.

Once we re-dress, we make our way back to the bar, with Collin, the bodyguard in tow.

Cooper takes my hand as we walk through the club to the VIP area. The music blares louder and there's double the number of sweaty bodies on the dance floor now. Cooper leads me over to the VIP bar and taps the shoulder of a guy with wild, long, curly, blond hair. Brody: the boy was always in need of a haircut.

He turns around and looks at us with a drink to his lips. "Look who I found," Cooper grins, pulling me to his chest. Brody's eyes grow wide, with quick recognition. He places his glass down at the bar, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No!" he exclaims and Cooper laughs.

"Yes." I nod my head, trying to fight back my own laughter from his surprised remark.

"Violet! Holy Shit!"

"It's me." I hold out my arms for him. "Miss me?"

Brody quickly gathers me in his arms and spins me around. Once he's done making me sick, he places me back onto the ground. "It's so good to see you." He grabs my face and squishes my cheeks. "Look at you. You're really here, jellybean."

Cooper groans beside me. He always hated the nickname Brody picked out for me, saying I needed something more _fitting._ Brody kept doing it to drive him insane and honestly, I didn't mind it.

"God, how are you?" Brody drops his hands from my face, allowing me to answer.

"I've been good. How about you?"

"Great. Cooper keeps me busy. Thankfully he pays me well." Brody looks between us and grins. "I'm so glad to see you. Because this man," he claps Cooper's shoulders, "has never been the same since you left."

"Shut up, dick." Cooper shoves Brody away

Brody puts his arm around my shoulder and leans down to whisper in my ear. "He's never gotten over you. Not that I can blame him."

"The feeling is mutual." I glance over at Cooper who winks, showing off his dimple, reminding me again why so many girls go wild over him.

"You, my friend, need a drink." Brody waves down the bartender and orders us a couple shots of scotch. My liver and stomach protest, even if it's the expensive shit.

The bartender pours the amber liquid into the shot glasses and slides them over to the three of us.

"Cheers," Brody says. We click our glasses, and toss them back. Thankfully, I'm already drunk, so it didn't taste as bad as I was expecting, but I have no control over my _yuck_ face when I slam the glass back down.

"Still not a fan I see." Cooper kisses my cheek and I shake my head, the burn settling in my chest.

"Never will be."

A loud feminine squeal comes from behind us: Julie's. I turn and see Alexa and Julie in the middle of the dance floor, grinding on each other.

"Brody, you need to come and meet my friends." I grab both their hands and pull them towards the dance floor.

"Alexa, Jules!" I shout over the thumping music.

"Violet, you're back!" Alexa cheers excitedly. "You've been missing everything." She glances at Cooper beside me and bites her lip to contain her laughter. "Never mind, I forgot already."

I redden, remembering the naked fun I was having moments ago. "I want you guys to meet Brody. He's Cooper's brother."

Brody fixes his collar and gives them his full white smile. "Hello, ladies. Room for one more?"

"You bet!" Alexa pulls Brody between her and Julie, sandwiching him in.

"Cooper, will you dance with me?" I bat my eyes and run my hands up his chest and around his neck.

"It would be my pleasure, baby."

Cooper grabs my ass and pulls me flush against him. The rhythm and the pulsation of the music take control of my body, and I grind myself into him. Soon, our hands and mouths are all over each other's exposed skin, and then I don't think we're dancing anymore, but fully making out; Cooper's erection poking me in the stomach.

It's not 'till we hear the hoots and hollers of my friends that we break apart.

 _Yeah, we were seconds away from taking each other in the middle of the dance floor._

Being in Cooper's arms makes me feel like a teenager again.

"Damn, you two are fucking hot," Alexa howls, fanning herself.

"It seems hot at first, but you'll get sick of it soon." Brody's eyes roll to the back of his head. "Real soon."

A waiter walks by and Cooper grabs me a drink, and another, as we continue to dance. I'm feeling the full effects of all the drinks I've poured down my throat; somewhere between wanting to pass out and ready for a marathon.

"I'm so glad I came to Vegas," I say into Cooper's ear and then chomp down on his lobe.

"Me too. To think I almost didn't come out tonight."

 _It's destiny, I'm sure of it._

"I'm going to slow it down for a minute." The DJ's voice booms over the speakers. "Cooper, Violet this one is for you, from Brody." We both glance over at the DJ stand. Brody is up there with Alexa and Julie, the three of them wearing mischievous smiles.

The opening to "My Everything" vibrates through the sound system. All the couples around us, start to sway as Cooper's smooth voice begins to sing the lyrics, I know by heart.

 _"_ _I used to be told dreams never come true_

 _And I shouldn't believe in the make-believe._

 _I almost believed it - 'till I saw you_

 _My everything_

 _You were standing in the crowd, your eyes on me._

 _I dreamed you would be mine._

 _You quickly became my dream come true_

 _when you told me you loved me too_

 _My undying love is for you_

 _For only you_

 _'_ _Cause you're everything to me."_

"I love this song. It's one of my favorites," I muse, letting the lyrics absorb into my heart and soul like they always do.

"I'm glad to hear that...because I wrote it about you," he whispers in my ear.

"You did?" I say, pretending to be shocked. The lyrics were always clear as day; it was our story, but then there was a part of me that would think maybe someone else claimed his heart along the way.

I would fall asleep thinking Cooper was beside me singing this song.

He brushes his hand down my face, and pushes a loose strand of hair back. "Of course I did. You're my muse, Ace. Most of my songs are about you."

"I was always afraid to admit to myself they were." The tears slip from my eyes. "I never stopped loving you Cooper…" My words slur.

"And I never stopped loving you, Violet." He bends down and kisses me, our bodies no longer moving and our tongues doing the dancing instead. The two of us are in our own little world, our mouths desperate to make up for lost time.

Somehow, we manage to separate as the song fades. His forehead rests on mine, and his hungry eyes search mine.

"I don't want to lose you, Violet. I wouldn't be able to go on if I let you slip through my fingers again. I need you in my life—everyday."

"I'm not going anywhere." There's no other place I want to be but with him.

A look of panic and worry crosses his face. I'm not sure what caused the sudden change, then he blurts out, "We should get married."

My heart jumps into my throat and I try to swallow it down. Did he say, get married? My head is spinning from the words and the liquor running through my veins. Me? Mrs. Cooper Reid?

"Married? You mean me and you?" I wave my finger between us, giggling like a nut. I'm not really sure why I asked. I might be slightly dizzy and inebriated, but I knew he meant us, it just all sounds insane.

"Yes, me and you, goofy. We're in the perfect place. We should do it. Now," he pushes, excitement spinning in his blue eyes.

"Married? Now?" I ask again, to confirm the craziness that's about to go down. The words of my promise from the last time we saw each other circle in my head, a promise I swore I would keep if I had the chance...

 _"_ _I love you too, Violet. I always will. You're my girl. My only girl and one day I swear I'm going to marry you."_

 _"_ _And I promise to say yes."_

"Say yes, Vi. I never want to let you go again. Marry me, _please_."

"Yes…"

* * *

check out I found you on amazon...under Erica Marselas...

along with my other titles.

Watching You

Playing With Fire

and

Dirty Little Secrets.


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